Reducing Chaos

We're still on the topic of work-at-home challenges. Julie writes, "My huge challenge is keeping order with my business: paperwork, accounting, and contact management while also managing my household. Before kids, I somehow fit everything in just enough. After kids, I'm drastically behind. My family comes first, so keeping that order was my first priority, then my business. Now, I feel behind with both and things just keep piling up around me."

I know that Julie is not alone. And though life feels chaotic right now, she's got her priorities in the right order. Here's a tip that might help though: instead of thinking about "catching up," I encourage you to change your thought process to "reducing chaos."

Remember that having young children at home is a passing season. Though it doesn't feel like it right now, your life won't always look this way. Rather than focusing on conquering this season by "keeping up," a mindshift that focuses on reducing chaos reduces both stress and pressure, and recognizes the season you're currently in.

In addition to thinking differently, consider the following tips:

• Spend 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening picking up, filing, organizing, etc. Focusing on these chores for 10 minutes at a time makes things manageable. And you'll be surprised how much 20 minutes of straightening a day will help you keep on top of things.
• Teach your children to pick up after themselves--even if it means taking away privileges until they are in the groove of putting their own dishes away, replacing toys after they've played with them, rinsing the sink after brushing their teeth, etc.
• Hire a sitter, trade babysitting with a friend, or ask your hubby to spend time with the kids when you see you're really far behind. It's amazing how much you can get done in an hour of uninterrupted time as opposed to a full day with children underfoot!
• Develop work flow that supports being organized. This includes sorting your mail over the trash and immediately throwing out everything you don't need and filing the rest in folders marked "Pay," "File" and "RSVP." Keep all work-related correspondence and materials in a designated area so that you don't spend time looking for misplaced documents.
• "Chunk" your work. Instead of writing checks, making calls and e-mailing all in one sitting, focus on one type of task in order to maximize your time and concentration. Handle contact management in one work session while saving accounting for another.
• Limit your work. Most work-at-home entrepreneurs don't have the luxury of long quiet hours to do their work. So practice working in the enviroment you're currently in. What's realistic for you in terms of work sessions? Some at-home workers focus on 20 minute work sessions while others know they can routinely get an hour's worth of work done. Those with school-age children obviously have the most leeway. Pick a time frame that works with your current at-home schedule, then set a timer and sit down to work on one task at a time for the length of time you've identified. Get up and do something else. Later, you'll be able to come back and tackle another task. You'll save your sanity by setting realistic work habits and responding to the reality of your family's daily schedule rather than expecting them to conform to what you wish was true.

In the next post, we'll discuss the difference between pricing on value vs. time. Before then, is there someone you can forward this post to who might benefit from online work-at-home support? If so, would you hit the forward button now and help our online community grow? Many thanks!